Plateau college students arrested with guns jailed 2 years

A Plateau Upper Area Court sitting in Kasuwan Nama, Jos, on Monday sentenced two students of the Federal College of Education, Panshin, Plateau, to two years’ imprisonment each for conspiracy and unlawful possession of firearms.

The judge, Yahaya Mohammed, sentenced 22-year-old Panret Jacob and 24-year-old Peter Wunying to six months imprisonment each without an option of fine for conspiracy, and two years’ imprisonment each with an option of N20,000 fine for unlawful possession of firearms.

Mr Mohammed held that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others who would want to indulge in such acts.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the accused had both pleaded guilty to the two-count charge, on arraignment.

The prosecutor, Anthony Enegbenore, said that the students were arrested with a locally-made double barrel pistol, a fabricated pistol and fabricated cartridges, in contravention of Section 27 of the Firearms Act.